This made the novel be referred to as the comic book rather than any normal novel. As the “monkeywrench gang' moved from one area to another in the wilderness, they laughed at their enemies who were the main environmental destructors (Abbey, 47). Their movement from one place to another in the desert made their enemies to fear them. The “gang” moved from one place to the other addressing the issues concerning the environmental protection. Abbey calls his team the “monkeywrench” gang to signify the importance of joining efforts to protect the environment and wilderness animals that included monkeys. Together they wander off and stage a war whose aim was to protects the desert environment from the hands of the industrial developers whose activities had threatened the Desert Rivers, which were the sources of water for the desert residents and wild animals.Ībbey voiced the concerned about wilderness preservation as he roams around the canyonlands of the Southern Utah. Furthermore, wilderness guide Seldom Seen Smith also joins them in fighting for the protection of the Wilderness Rivers and the surrounding bushes and forests (Abbey, 79). The activists that he met in the desert included feminist Saboteur Bonnie Abbzug, road builders and miners. While in the desert, he finds other environmental activists who are willing to protect the environment and they joined hands together. The story is centered on the Veteran George Washington Hayduke III who happens to return to the desert to look for his beloved rivers and canyons that have been threatened by the industrial development. The author believes that to protect the American wilderness not only requires immense efforts from all the stakeholders but also requires a little of the old suspension and willingness of disbelief from all the American citizens. Many people have referred the novel as a comic book that seeks to protect the environment through comic actions. These mechanisms were meant to preserve the ecosystem, wild spaces and also wildlife. The sabotage mechanisms adopted during the 'monkeywrench” campaign included the law-making, activism and law-breaking.

Abbey was influenced by the term “monkeywrench', and this was interpreted to mean any sabotage machine that was used to fight for environmental conservation in the Southwestern United States (Abbey, 23). The environmental damaging activities had been witnessed in the Southwest United States. The novel is important as far as environmental issues are concerned as it talks about the use of sabotage to protest against environmental damaging. “The Monkey Wrench Gang” is a novel that was written by Edward Abbey an American famous and fictitious author who lived between years 1927 to the year 1989.The novel was published in the year 1975.

The monkey wrench gang by edward abbey